'geoname' table have fields:
name : name of geographical point (utf varchar(200)
asciiname : name of geographical point in plain ascii characters, varchar(200)
admin1Codes.txt file have only utf8 names for administrative subdivision
is it possible to have plain ascii characters for administrative subdivision?
It is created during the full dump using the English alternate name if one is available.
For some admin divisions we don't yet have an English alternate name and the main name is exported. Example China :
http://www.geonames.org/search.html?q=adm1+cn
You can help us fix this and add an English alternate name using the wiki interface (click on the alternate name link in the bubble and add a new alternate name).
I was trying to correct a region (associate it to itself as a region); I'm not sure my correction takes effect - see for instance:
2 U 2007 03 03 14:52:49 Zugdidis Raioni GE roundplanet A.ADM1
in recent changes; I had tried to associate this region to itself. Any trick (note it's the first time I try to help on Geonames; maybe I'm missing something...)